As I said earlier, I think the new proposed office tower downtown next to the US bank building is a good design, and I am excited about it. If the site is successfully developed it will only add more pressure to redevelop the transit building next door, and will contribute to making the downtown more vibrant. Rumors about redeveloping the transit center site are swirling about a mixed use proposal, and having more jobs, a fitness center, restaurant, etc right next door will only make the transit center site more attractive, especially considering the current state of the site of the office building proposal.

As I said earlier, I think the new proposed office tower downtown next to the US bank building is a good design, and I am excited about it. If the site is successfully developed it will only add more pressure to redevelop the transit building next door, and will contribute to making the downtown more vibrant. Rumors about redeveloping the transit center site are swirling about a mixed use proposal, and having more jobs, a fitness center, restaurant, etc right next door will only make the transit center site more attractive, especially considering the current state of the site of the office building proposal.

Agreed, I think the scale of the building is great for the site and the design is quite nice. Especially like the idea of a terrace for the building tenants overlooking the lake. Hopefully they could add some green roof qualities to it, or at least a lot of greenery and some small trees.

The building will really be pretty prominent as far as its appearance, IMO, driving 794 east towards the lake, driving over the Hoan or just being down by the MAM or Discovery World.

Personally, I only see the point of saving the buildings at this point if there's an investor or tenant committed. I hate seeing these buildings come down though.

The question to avoid this in 10 years is, why isn't the city being more proactive on building owners? Why aren't preservationists pushing this? Does anyone really think emotional meetings at the last minute can (or even should) save the buildings?

This is total BS. What about the building at Holton and North Ave?
Nice castle brick building just wasting away. Some buildings deserve being saved. I wish the bubble had lasted long enough for some screwball investor to have atleast fixed up the Sydney Hih building and also that really old previous brewery building that got moved. I personally dont understand how it is the city of Milwaukee doesnt have enough money to save those two buildings.

This is total BS. What about the building at Holton and North Ave?
Nice castle brick building just wasting away. Some buildings deserve being saved. I wish the bubble had lasted long enough for some screwball investor to have atleast fixed up the Sydney Hih building and also that really old previous brewery building that got moved. I personally dont understand how it is the city of Milwaukee doesnt have enough money to save those two buildings.

Why would, or a better question, should, the city be asked, at taxpayers expense, to save buildings that apparently no one wants to save? If the SH was destined to keep standing someone would have jumped in before it was too late. No one has stepped up because they realize it is too far gone at this point. The sentimental minority who cried out to put the demo on hold should have ponied up when they had the chance, but apparently its worth wasn't all that valuable to them until the reality of its demise came to light. You can't put the burden of it's inevitable fate on the city.

There is no doubt SH was a unique place...I don't frequent the city as much as I would like, but I have known of this building for some time. I think at some point when it would have still been a viable investment, it would have been a worthwhile venture to make some use of the place, but ffs sometimes you just have to let things go and move on...particularly when the odds are so stacked against you. You snooze...you lose.

Why would, or a better question, should, the city be asked, at taxpayers expense, to save buildings that apparently no one wants to save? If the SH was destined to keep standing someone would have jumped in before it was too late. No one has stepped up because they realize it is too far gone at this point. The sentimental minority who cried out to put the demo on hold should have ponied up when they had the chance, but apparently its worth wasn't all that valuable to them until the reality of its demise came to light. You can't put the burden of it's inevitable fate on the city.

There is no doubt SH was a unique place...I don't frequent the city as much as I would like, but I have known of this building for some time. I think at some point when it would have still been a viable investment, it would have been a worthwhile venture to make some use of the place, but ffs sometimes you just have to let things go and move on...particularly when the odds are so stacked against you. You snooze...you lose.

Exactly, spot on.

What I was trying to convey above is that it doesn't have to be this way. Why isn't the next SH getting cracked down on deferred maintenance right now?

Yeah, it's politically unpopular to go after owners & investors in the city. However, the building stock is worth more than the sum of its NPV, especially to the city... they'll ultimately have to deal with buildings & crappy landlords bringing down land values.

Go after the low-hanging fruit of marginal & run-down areas. A building stock in better condition, increases desirability & value. Every vacant, boarded up building tears that down, along with our history.

Why would, or a better question, should, the city be asked, at taxpayers expense, to save buildings that apparently no one wants to save? If the SH was destined to keep standing someone would have jumped in before it was too late. No one has stepped up because they realize it is too far gone at this point. The sentimental minority who cried out to put the demo on hold should have ponied up when they had the chance, but apparently its worth wasn't all that valuable to them until the reality of its demise came to light. You can't put the burden of it's inevitable fate on the city.

There is no doubt SH was a unique place...I don't frequent the city as much as I would like, but I have known of this building for some time. I think at some point when it would have still been a viable investment, it would have been a worthwhile venture to make some use of the place, but ffs sometimes you just have to let things go and move on...particularly when the odds are so stacked against you. You snooze...you lose.

Because it would be a good investment of taxpayer money. Thats all.
Just my opinion. Yes its not JUST the cities fault. Its just that Milwaukee was too SLOW to recover really as a city to save it and in general that area was too desolate for too long. And yes, it was allowed to crumble/waste away for too long. Really the biggest fault is that of the previous landlord. In any case it shouldve been rehabbed in the eighties or nineties (Sydney Hih).....

What I was trying to convey above is that it doesn't have to be this way. Why isn't the next SH getting cracked down on deferred maintenance right now?

Yeah, it's politically unpopular to go after owners & investors in the city. However, the building stock is worth more than the sum of its NPV, especially to the city... they'll ultimately have to deal with buildings & crappy landlords bringing down land values.

Go after the low-hanging fruit of marginal & run-down areas. A building stock in better condition, increases desirability & value. Every vacant, boarded up building tears that down, along with our history.

No worries Mariachi, just joshing you I know Tosa isn't like West Allis (note: Tell your brother to stay far away the suburbs that start at West allis and end up around south Milwaukee). The people that live in Wauwatosa are certaintly a different breed. So if you tend to lean more to the left you pretty much want to steer clear of Tosa since its just (insert waukesha county town here) located in Milwaukee county. Wauwatosa is okay I guess if you like going to the Mall and need to be in close proximity of highway 100 and its never ending strip malls and suburban sprawl.

Tosa between 60th and 76th (read, the pretty and urban part) is as liberal as the East Side. I grew up in Tosa and the most liberal families and kids I've ever met hail from there.

I sure hope they can save the Sidney HIH buildings. Those buildings are a great, historic anchor that needs to stay at that corner. You've got the Aloft and the Modern next door in two different directions. Its half a block from the River. There's lots of land around it to be further developed. There are going to be good things happening nearby eventually. Its just that - to tear those cool old buildings down would lose the historic culture that remains in that little area. I hope they will be saved and turned into some cool shops, restaurants and maybe a few apartments or condos. The rest of the block could be filled in with some new residential as well, wrapping around the buildings on the north and west sides. Hopefully they will be around for another 100 years - at least.

This is total BS. What about the building at Holton and North Ave?
Nice castle brick building just wasting away...

I think you mean the building on the corner of Humboldt and North, not Holton and North.

I've often wondered about that place too-- when we had a nasty storm a couple of years ago, some bricks actually flew out of that building's side and its outer wall was collapsed-- I don't know what repairs were done to it, but I'd love to see it redeveloped into something beneficial.

I think you mean the building on the corner of Humboldt and North, not Holton and North.

I've often wondered about that place too-- when we had a nasty storm a couple of years ago, some bricks actually flew out of that building's side and its outer wall was collapsed-- I don't know what repairs were done to it, but I'd love to see it redeveloped into something beneficial.

Zak's. Never made it in there, I liked different music then, but those were the days!

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I think you mean the building on the corner of Humboldt and North, not Holton and North.

I've often wondered about that place too-- when we had a nasty storm a couple of years ago, some bricks actually flew out of that building's side and its outer wall was collapsed-- I don't know what repairs were done to it, but I'd love to see it redeveloped into something beneficial.

Yes you are right, sorry
Yes Humboldt and North, the castle looking building that is painted
the same drab colors as the Sydney Hih.
Yes, If I had the dough I would buy that place in a heartbeat and fix the HELL out of it. I would powerwash the paint off the brick, rehab it, and put in a nice Bar/Gastropub something like that on the first floor. Its a nobrainer.

I used to live a block away from the North and Humboldt building, and one thing I noticed about it as I walked past all the time it the absolutely horrible shape the facade was in. Their are points where the brick facade is pulling away from the structure, you can see where the foundation has settled and there are cracks running through the bricks. It definitely needs some TLC, although the building does look awesome, and it does have great potential.